Miscevic: Serbia did everything to de-escalate the situation in the north of Kosovo and Metohija

The Minister of European Integration, Tanja Miscevic, said that Serbia expected to open another cluster in negotiations for EU membership by the end of the year, for which, according to her, Serbia had been ready for two years, Blic reports.

Speaking about the issue of opening a cluster, that is, new negotiations in the process of European integration, Miscevic points out that it is an issue that primarily relates to political assessment and evaluation, which, according to Miscevic, is positive since it reopened the story of enlargement.

"De-escalation is the key word and that progress must be achieved, and we all expect de-escalation in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, Serbia has done everything for de-escalation to happen, we expect the same moves from Pristina," Miscevic said, reports Tanjug.

Serbia is ready

On the other hand, Miscevic says that it is also about a new geopolitical moment and the war in Ukraine, as well as the position of Serbia, which Miscevic says is not politically neutral.

"We expect to open another cluster by the end of the year, for which we have been ready for two years. Serbia is ready, reforms in that area are a sufficient element for the opening, and what remains is the political decision of the member states," Miscevic said.

According to Miscevic, the main issues in the EU are related to what are the key policies, budget and functioning of the EU that will have to change with the expansion to the Western Balkans and to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.

"That is the main topic at the moment and it is very important for all of us, because only when the EU, that is, the member states, each of them 27, is completely sure that the functioning and efficiency of the EU will not be impaired, our request to become a member will gain weight", Miscevic said.

Regional cooperation is a necessity

The Minister for European Integration also said that the role of young people and their development as citizens is one of the most important things when working on building stable democratic institutions.

"When you create public policies, you cannot help but take into account all those who will benefit from it tomorrow, but they must be ready to participate in them and to create them," Miscevic said.

She added that regional cooperation is not only there because of the conditions in the process of European integration, but that it is a necessity and a very important thing.

"Economic development of the region is also economic development and connection with the European Union, and as a small region we can only do that if we participate together, and this is where the story of regional initiatives such as the Berlin Process and the Open Balkans comes in," Miscevic said.